IVAN B. IVERSEN, Corporal, United States Marine Corps Reserve. For extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy while attached to a Marine engineer battalion on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 1 March 1945. When enemy action caused a large fire in a Marine division ammunition drop, Corporal Iversen was called upon to operate an armored tractor with angledozer. Corporal Iversen being the first tractor operator to reach the scene, proceeded to within a few yards of the flaming and exploding ammunition and in the midst of this exploding inferno, and despite continued enemy artillery and mortar shelling began to construct fire breaks. To prevent the spread of fire to large caliber ammunition he leaped from his tractor and extinguished a phosphorous grenade by shoveling dirt onto the flame. In carrying out his work, he was seriously wounded by shell fragments in the hip. Unmindful of his painful injury, he got back on his tractor and completed the juncture of two fire breaks which prevented the spread of the fire. He then removed the tractor to safety before he accepted medical aid and permitted himself to be evacuated. Corporal Iversen’s outstanding courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Mr. Iversen resides in California.